a sufficient amount of rope the last bearskin was cut up into strips, as it was necessary to have nearly a hundred feet, and the bearskin was a much-needed addition to the small quantity of ramie cord which they had on hand.

"The Ministry of Defence has met an animal rights group to discuss alternatives to the bearskin hats worn by guards at Buckingham Palace. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) has approached Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney to design a new shape for the 18ins hat.The charity has previously called for fake fur to be used, but said the MoD was not happy with prototype designs. The MoD said it was 'actively looking for alternatives' to using bearskin."- 'MoD discusses bearskin hat plan', BBC website, 2 Sep 2008.